The Originals’ Daniel Gillies on the Show’s Darker Edge, “New Lovers”

When he’s not swooping in to rescue witches in distress, The Originals’ Daniel Gillies (Elijah) plays self-assured doctor Joel Goran the Canadian show Saving Hope. Season 2 of the medical drama premieres today on CTV, but when TVRage sat down to talk with the actor, all they could do was ask about The Originals. Obviously, we’re not complaining.

The Vampire Diaries spin-off will debut on The CW on October 15, but Daniel already has a good sense of how the new show will differ from the original. “I think it's going to be a lot more about family, the writing always returns to family. The bonds and, dare I say it, sometimes the manacles of family,” he explains. “I think that it's going to be a little darker. I think it's going to be a little bit more adult.”

Part of that maturity is due to the fact that he and Joseph Morgan (Klaus) are older than most of the cast of TVD. “Well actually, [Ian Somerhalder, who plays Damon] is the same age as us,” Daniel admits. “Even though we're supposed to be hundreds of years old and in theory there's not much difference in age between us and the other vamps, I think we still have to write accordingly. Especially when you're writing new lovers into a story.”

Yep, you read that right. New lovers. “Man, if you quote me on that, [the new lovers], the fans will hate it!” says Daniel. “They really develop these allegiances. They really hate hearing that anybody new could come on the scene. Blessedly, there's a kind of amnesia with fans. They'll remember a certain character or romance until somebody sort of supplants that who's also really great. Then, they're content to forget.”

If Julie Plec wants to write in a new love interest for Elijah, we’re happy to volunteer.